There is good news for rural communities, as the MP for Shetland suggests a pilot scheme of free bus travel. Less dense towns and the rural areas that surround them have for decades been the main victims of the ‘profitability’ logic that rules our transport system.

But the best news is from Glasgow, where the city council will run a trial free public transport scheme – for 1000 residents, for six weeks. Hopefully the start of something bigger and bolder. Green councillor Christy Mearns, a long-time advocate of free public transport, said: “this will have a transformative impact for people living in poverty and experiencing social isolation, and I hope that it will pave the way for expanding free public transport in Glasgow longer-term”.

In the Autumn, the Scottish Green Party announced their new policy of free bus travel for everyone, followed by a call for free bus travel for all people under 30. As background, since January 2022, all people under 22 are eligible for free bus travel in Scotland. Lorna Slater, a Scottish Green MSP, said “the cost of living crisis doesn’t stop for people the day they turn 22. […] Too many workers in their 20s are trapped in a cycle of ever-rising costs and insecure work, with far too many in [Edinburgh] struggling to cover their rent and bills every month.”

Will Scotland’s progressive policy be extended to England and Wales? It was recommended to the UK Government by the cross-party Transport Committee in August 2025, but the Government has said a firm “no” to the idea.

Published: 10th January 2026.